The Lunar Bound

gers digging into the rough bark for support. The Hunter-its glowing, predatory eyes locked on her-was only a few feet away. Aiden had dashed forward to distract it, his

She was supposed to be helping, but right now, she felt as though she were standing on the edge o

movements were swift, practiced, but the creature was no novice either. With a quick, violent sw

im determination, but there was something else-a flicker of fear that he couldn't completely hide. It was clear this w

couldn't let Aiden face th

still gleaming faintly in the dark. Lana's hands shook as she gripped the coin, her mind racing. Her grandfather's journal had said that silver c

usting the silver knife into its side. The creature howled, a chilling, guttural sound that made Lana's blood run cold. It stu

eemed to cut through the darkness. It let out a series of snarls

wiping blood from his lip. "We need to get it on t

nged again, faster this time, with a snarl

hurled the silver coin directly at the creature. The Hunter's eyes flicked toward her, but it was too late. The coin hi

ts heart. The creature howled again, but this time, it was different. The howl was sharp, desperate

he knife, pulling it free in one brutal motion. The creat

nt, there

e sounds of nocturnal creatures filli

brow. He looked at the fallen Hunter, his face hard but with a flic

ose," he said, h

ling from the adrenaline coursing

to the bloodstained ground. "The thing about the Moonborn-they don't stay dead for

of facing the creature again made he

d poured a dark liquid onto the creature's chest. It sizzled as it made contact with the wound, and the Hunter's body

s, casting long shadows over the fallen Hunter. "I don't understand," she said, struggling to find her voice. "

andfather did what he could to protect you. He didn't want you to be caught up in this world. But i

r throat. "Involved? What

forest beyond. "The Moonborn don't just attack for no reason. They're after something-som

and suffocating. Lana felt a knot

your grandfather's bloodline, and that means you have something the

d I possibly have that they want? My grandfather's journal-it said something about t

of the force that kept the Moonborn in check. Your grandfather was one of the last m

ld see something Lana couldn't. "Now that he's gone, they'll com

a beat. "What is it t

ight. "We'll need to move fast. They'll be sending more after us. We need to

moment, it felt like she was losing herself in the chaos. But there was one thing she was certain of now-she couldn't

them like a shadow. Lana could feel the pull of the Moonborn's curse, a distant, o

er into the sky, Lana knew that t